A Night To Remember
by AWickedMemory
Summary: Before beginning their journeys, Satoshi and Shigeru shared a brief, but sweet, moment. But with years of conflict, how will they feel now? Fluff. PG for homosexuality. [ Completed 1/1 ]


**Disclaimer:** *holds up a Pokéball* HAHAHA! MINE! THEY'RE MINE!! THE CAST OF POKÉMON ARE MINE! I CAUGHT THEM ALL, BWAHAHAHAHA!   
But it's temporary. They don't belong to me. 

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A Night To Remember

**  
_Written by D.A. Maxwell  
Completed 12-December- 2001_  
**A/N:**   
Palletshipping, so beware all too-innocent homophobic prats!   
This is my *first Pokémon fic*! So please... be kind to me. C&C!   
I haven't watched any of the Johto league series, and didn't even finish the first series, so pardon any inaccuracies. I don't know if Satoshi/Ash ever became a Pokémon master, but for this fic, he isn't.   
:::FOR YOUR USE:::   
Words in **_Bold Italics_** are memories.   
On with the game!   


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**_"In just a month, I'm gonna begin the path to becoming a great Pokémon master!" Shigeru boasted, throwing his hands behind his head and strutting proudly. Beside him, his best friend Satoshi rolled his eyes.   
"You've been saying that for years. Well, I'm gonna be a Pokémon master, too! And I'll bet I can be better than you!" the ten year old couldn't help but retort. Shigeru stopped walking and dropped his backpack before doubling over to laugh. Satoshi stopped walking and glared. "What's so funny?!"   
"You... become a Pokémon master? HA! Not half as good as me!" he chuckled. Satoshi let out a breath irritably. He really didn't know why he put up with Shigeru's cocky, self-certain attitude, but he could never bring himself to pull away from the friendship.   
"Why do you say that?"   
Shigeru began walking again. "Easy. You just don't have what it takes. Face it, Satoshi- you're just not as good as me!"   
A thought struck the raven-haired youth. "Wait... but I thought..." The brunette cast him a curious glance. "I thought we could, you know, travel together..."   
Shigeru looked slightly uncomfortable for a passing moment before the arrogance returned to his features. "Travel together? Are you insane?! You'd just slow me down!"   
A wave of hurt washed over Satoshi's face as he stood, stunned. In a small voice, he whispered, "but I thought we were best friends."   
He looked up as the slightly taller boy put his hands hands Satoshi's shoulders. "Hey, everything comes to an end, right? Think of it as a goal, then. Beating me is a futile dream, so try to just keep up- when you prove yourself to be a big shot like me, then we can spend the rest of our lives together! Just you, me, and our Pokémon! We can be the most powerful team in the world! But you have to keep up, first."   
Satoshi set a grim look in his eye. "You can count on it," he replied firmly. "At the end of the road, when they're choosing a Pokémon master, I'll be standing right beside you!"_**   
  
Five years later, an older Satoshi was coming home to Pallet Town. He had visited several times during his journey, but this would be his first long stay since he had left his hometown what felt like so many years ago. There had been a great homecoming; it seemed the entire town wanted to welcome the teenager that had left home a nobody and returned a world-renowned hero and great Pokémon trainer. But the one face he had _really_ wanted to see wasn't in the friendly crowd.   
Shigeru.   
Though Kasumi and Takeshi were his best friends, they didn't have the faintest idea that he had ever been so close to who was now his rival and fiercest competition. Satoshi had reasons to assume that they would be stunned and not at all pleased to discover the unpleasant truth. The two were each visiting their own homes for this month-long absence from the journey and each other, and for the first time in years, Satoshi had his life back to how it used to be.   
Almost.   
Ever since the night before they began their journey, life could _never_ completely go back to the way it was. Not even if he had Shigeru's friendship again. And as he tucked himself into his familiar bed that night, the supressed memories broke free of their restraints and poured over him, creeping into his dreams and flashing before his eyes, no matter how tightly he kept them shut.   
  
**_Ten year old Satoshi was just getting ready for bed. Dressed in his usual black t-shirt and gray boxers, he lounged on his bed and flipped through the various channels, wondering what adventures lay before him. Even his imaginative mind couldn't conjure battles and events even _close_ to what he would behold.   
Suddenly, he heard a scratching at the window. No one else knew how to balance themselves between the tree and gutter just right to be able to reach his window- no one but Shigeru!   
Wondering what on earth the boy was doing outside his window at 12:37 at night (and right after their discussion earlier in the month), he rushed over and pulled up the glass.   
His brown-haired companion tumbled in and stood up. Satoshi didn't know what to do but stare in surprise at his unexpected visitor. For a few minutes, they simply gazed at each other, eye to eye.   
Then Satoshi broke the silence. "What kind of nut are you, climbing through a two-story window at night?! You could have used the door!" he muttered, turning to head towards the bed.   
"I didn't want your mom to know I was here."   
The simple mystery of those few words were enough to make him freeze again.   
"Well why the hell not?" he murmured when he could find his voice again. His back was turned to his companion, so he didn't know what to make of the brief silence. Satoshi was about to suggest he leave if he wasn't going to say anything when Shigeru spoke up at last.   
"Because if she knew why I was here, she would never let me see you again."   
A chill ran down his spine. "Wh- why you're here?" he echoed, still not trusting himself to turn around. Once again, he felt the comfortable touch of his friend's hand on his shoulder, but this time it pulled him around so that the two boys were face to face. Literally.   
His eyes widened in shock as Shigeru pressed their lips together. It was only a brief kiss, lasting only a second or two, but to a befuddled Satoshi, it felt like an eternity.   
And it felt nice._**   
  
Sleep refused to come. Several times since settling in bed about ten thirty, Satoshi had rearranged his blankets, fluffed his pillow, flattened his pillow, gotten a drink of water, gone to the bathroom, done pushups, kicked off covers, pulled up covers, and just about anything else he could think of to get comfortable.   
But still, sleep refused to come.   
The Japanese adolescent was growing restless. He eyed the clock and for a moment, his breath caught in his throat.   
12:32.   
In five minutes, it would be exactly five years since he last spoke to Shigeru on... friendly terms.   
He got up again. Maybe a little TV would help? But after fumbling around in the dark for a control and failing to locate it, he gave up and was about to crawl back into bed when he heard a tapping at the window.   
He froze. It could just be branches... couldn't it? But no, the pattern, the number of taps and the even spacing between them- it was a person. And even before he slid up the pane of glass, Satoshi had a feeling he knew who it was. 12:35.   
Shigeru slid in.   
  
**_"Sh- Shigeru!" he squawked, pulling back. "What... what are you..."   
A very red-faced boy turned his head away. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry."   
Satoshi was instantly alarmed. He hadn't intended to hurt the other boy's feelings, but apparently that's just what he had done. "Shigeru--! Don't... I... It's..."   
He wanted desperately to tell his friend that it was okay, that he didn't mind, but he didn't know what to say without making it sound stupid. Then again, he _was_ known for the blunt and often silly things he blurted out, so what harm could it do? Taking in a deep breath, he said the first thing that came to mind.   
"You're a good kisser."   
Shigeru jerked his head up in surprise as Satoshi clapped his hands over his mouth. Of all the ridiculous comments to make, did he have to pick _THAT_ one!? "I- er, I, ah, um..." Face flaming, he threw an arm behind him and laughed. "Saa, that musta sounded stupid! Well, I've never been known for tact... eh?"   
Shigeru looked at him for a moment. Then, slowly, a small smile fluttered over his face. "You... you're not disgusted? You don't hate me?"   
"Hate you?" Satoshi blinked at him, wide-eyed. "Of course not. Why should I hate you?"   
"Because... because I'm... because I like guys. And because... I like you."   
Satoshi cocked his head. It made perfect sense to him. "Isn't that why you have guy friends?" he asked innocently. The other youth winced ever so slightly.   
"Not that kind of like. I mean... boyfriend-girlfriend like. That's why I..."   
"Kissed me?" It was Shigeru's turn to blink rapidly at the words that had so easily slipped from his best friend's mouth when it took all of his courage to say even half of it.   
Satoshi took the silence to mean that the boy was offended and quickly racked his brain for what to say or do. But there was nothing in his head labeled "How to treat your best friend who kissed you and you hurt". So instead, he did what he usually did: the first thing that came to mind.   
He glomped him.   
Shigeru was yanked forward onto the bed, heart racing as his childhood crush's arms wound tightly around his neck.   
"Don't be mad at me, Shishi!" He couldn't help but smile a little at the nickname. "I didn't mean to upset you!"   
What on earth was the kid talking about? "You didn't upset me," Shigeru replied, wrapping his own, thin arms around his glomper's waist. He smiled against the child's black-clothed shoulder. "Not at all."_**   
  
"Shigeru."   
"Satoshi."   
12:36. For a moment, neither said a word. Turning away, Satoshi broke the silence again. "Baka. You could have used the door." He didn't realize for a moment that it was the same thing he had done exactly five years ago.   
But Shigeru noticed, and he responded.   
12:37. This time, the kiss wasn't hesitant and innocent. It was gentle, yes, but also filled with strain from all the years between now and the last time they had been able to relax with each other. And as the half-expected visitor slid his arms around the smaller teenager's waist, Satoshi instinctively moved his own to his partner's shoulders and neck.   
Shigeru smoothly pushed Satoshi onto the bed and laid down gently beside him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I've missed you," he murmured. "Looks like you kept up with me just fine."   
Satoshi smirked wryly. "Admit it, I did damn well and beat you at your own game," he shot back, voice muffled by his rival's shirt. Inside, he stifled a laugh. If only Kasumi and Takeshi could see him now!   
Outside, both teenagers had made a silent agreement to simply enjoy the peaceful comfort of home and the childhood familiarity of one another- even if the emotions behind their relationship had changed. Satoshi knew that they would probably continue to bicker and fight in the presence of others- after all, they _had_ always been fiercely competitive with one another- but he was relieved to find that the mutual affection they had held for each other in their earlier years still existed. Not only that, but it had grown with each battle and each passing year.   
Next to him, Shigeru breathed in a sigh of relief. He had been terrified that he may have insulted his opponents too much and that Satoshi would hate him. So when his friend had welcomed him back with open arms, he felt as though all the strains of the past five years were lifted away and he could be himself again. He stroked the messy, black hair tenderly and whispered back, "Yeah, you did. You won this time. But we've still got a little more to go..."   
"And after that?"   
Shigeru placed a soft kiss on Satoshi's neck. "I keep my promises. You, me, and the Pokémon. We can spend the rest of our lives together."   
Neither boy could have asked for anything more. 


End file.
